


true colors

by whistlingwindtree



Series: Kasius/Sinara [4]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Enemies to Friends, F/M, Kasius is Extra, Sinara with still cut you, Slow Burn, Undercover Missions
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-02
Updated: 2019-03-02
Packaged: 2019-11-08 07:07:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17976689
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whistlingwindtree/pseuds/whistlingwindtree
Summary: A graduate of the Kree Royal Military College, Sinara's first assignment is to spy on the wayward younger son of the Royal Family.





	true colors

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TheQueenInTheNorth](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheQueenInTheNorth/gifts).



> Decided to post this for WIP Week on Tumblr! Dedicated to Lou, who is such a lovely fandom friend. I get so much joy from the fics you've written for my OTP, I hope I can somehow return the favor :)

_The things she did to get ahead,_ Sinara fumed internally as she entered the Kree Royal Museum of Terran Art. An expansive twelve stories that housed over two hundred and fifty thousand unique items, it included three lounges and a sculpture garden.

Why anyone would want to visit and socialize in a cemetery for the extinct humans was beyond her.

An orphan, she’d pulled herself up by the fucking bootstraps, entering the Kree Royal military college, setting records in three fighting styles, marksmanship and weaponry. She’d graduated expecting  _at least_ a Specialist position. She didn’t just deserve it, she’d _earned_ it. She had a punishing training routine, no social life, and the determination of someone who’d slept on moldy floorboards and eaten scraps that even the rats wouldn’t touch.

And this was her reward. To dress up like a vapid doll to spy on the wastrel second son of the Royal Family, pretending to be his assistant while he collected trash from the savage Terrans, deeming it art. If only she could punch something.

Her azure nude stilettos clicked on the marble floor and she discreetly smoothed her pencil skirt. It was leather, in a rich merlot shade, and coupled with the champagne colored silk blouse, she’d rather do one hundred pushups than be confined in these blasted colorful clothes.

“Sinara Smith.” A man large even by Kree standards crossed the floor to greet her. It was Faulnak, the elder brother of the House of Kasius. “Thank you for being prompt.” He shook her hand, his grasp firm and his palms callused.  “If only my brother would be as conscientious as you.”

 _It was as the reports stated_ , Sinara thought.   _No love lost between the brothers._

“I serve at the pleasure of the Royal family.” Sinara inclined her head with a brief smile as she gripped his hand. She’d been practicing in front of the mirror for weeks now, and whereas she first looked like a demented loon, now she’d perfected a genteel smile.

“None of that claptrap with me.” Faulnak snorted, rocking back on his heels. “No doubt Kasius would approve. Now, where _is_ -”

“Ah, Faulnak.” A haughty voice floated across the gallery floor. “Please excuse my tardiness. I needed my morning coffee.”

Sinara’s fake smile faltered as Kasius, younger brother of the Royal Family glided across the lobby and everything else faded.

He wasn’t the waif that she expected. While not as physically imposing as his brother, his piercing pale blue eyes were intelligent and he moved with a grace she found endearing. He assessed her from head to toe, his eyes lingering on her slim frame and when he held her gaze, the spark there made her breath catch.

What had she gotten herself into?

* * *

  
  
The first thing Kasius noticed about his new assistant, was how utterly magnificent she was. She strutted across the marble floor as if she owned the place, hips swaying and shoulders back like a war goddess of old. Her cheekbones were sharp enough to cut ice, and when she leveled a stare at his brother, not caring about his status in the royal family, he was intrigued.

  
Her hazel eyes trained on him, and Kasius’ eyes boldly drifted to her lips, and he smirked when her smile faltered. Didn’t she know that putting on a façade as the only way he survived in his family? And so he would see hers? He needed to uncover her every secret until she was his.

“For once, Brother, I am glad you visited.” Kasius greeted Faulnak. 

  
“Brother.” Faulnak infused as much disgust in the word as he interrupted Kasius’ thoughts.  “Thank you for gracing us with your presence.”  
  
“My apologies for being tardy.” Kasius nodded before turning to Sinara with a small bow. “I was struck by your companion’s beauty. I just had to stop at marvel at her grace and composure.”  
  
Faulnak and Sinara both widened their eyes in horror.  
  
Faulnak because he’d never caught of whiff of his little brother being attracted to anyone, male or female.  
  
And Sinara because she’d never been called beautiful or graceful before, and especially not by a man who was prettier than all of the beautiful artwork she’d seen. Irritation burned in her breast because she was being made a fool. This was her first assignment, and she would not muck it up by some silver-tongued dandy who wanted to play with her.  
  
“My name is Sinara Smith.” She arched an eyebrow, looking Kasius dead in the eye. “Kindly show me to my office where I can begin working.” And inclining her head to Faulnak, she strode off, leaving Kasius in her wake.

* * *

  
  
Her dignified exit lasted a few seconds before she realized she had no idea where she was stalking off to.

“ _Damn that man_.” Sinara fumed. She’d turned left into an alcove which turned into another corridor, this time lined with beautiful gold streaked granite, leading to an expansive space.

She was in an atrium where the walls glittered with gold and jewels, in intricate mandalas and winding designs as far up as the eye could see. Haughty emeralds and sapphires, blood red rubies, and opal and pearl that shimmered like tears.  
  
Sinara’s chest tightened.  
  
Her parents died deep in a mineral mine,  cut off from light and choked by dust because as indentured servants, they weren’t deemed important to save when it collapsed.  Pain streaked through her when she looked up and saw the atrium was the twelve stories, which was how far beneath the surface her parents were when they suffocated to death.  
  
She was but a tiny newborn and should’ve been suckling on her mother’s breast, and the emptiness of never knowing anything about her parents besides their death was a void she’d been trying to fill.  
  
“Impressive, is it not?” Kasius appeared, with a satisfied look. “My Father commissioned this room to be built for my first birthday.”  
  
Anger and disgust bubbled in Sinara at this man, who did nothing to deserve this wealth besides their luck of being born rich, while  her parents who did nothing to deserve dying beside the luck of being born poor.   
  
Something in demeanor must’ve signaled to Kasius that his words were incorrect as his brow wrinkled and he studied her.  
  
“My apologies-” he began.  
  
Bitterness simmered at his perfect elocution and smooth voice while she’d never heard a mother’s lullaby or a father’s laugh.  
  
“Which way is your office?” She clenched her fists cutting him off, her chin trembling.  
  
Kasius’ face softened, as he continued to look at her quizzically. “Follow me?” He offered his hand, and she glared at it.  
  
“This way.” He dropped his hand, walking ahead, and Sinara used the opportunity to compose herself. Her job was simple. She had a month-long assignment to help Kasius leading up to the Spring fundraiser, and her undercover assignment was to install software to hack the surveillance feed of the entire museum.

She’d collected herself by the time they reached the elevator.

Kasius’ office was on the twelfth floor, a spacious room of glass and minimalist design that was almost soothing.  
  
“Were you expecting something more elaborate?” Kasius accurately read her expression.  
  
Sinara made a mental note that he was sharper than she gave him credit for. “Truthfully, yes.”  
  
He nodded, satisfied. “I find it easier to create if my surroundings are plain.”  
  
“And you make up for it in your clothes?” The words were out of Sinara’s mouth before she could stop them.  
  
Kasius’ mouth lifted in a smile. “I think I’ll like you around, Ms. Smith.” He met her eyes mischievously and Sinara had a moment of panic.  
  
Surely he didn’t know that wasn’t her real last name?  
  
“Sinara would be fine,” she said evenly. She needed to get to the matters at hand. “What about my access for the floors?” She tossed her hair, meeting his eyes. “ We have exactly 21 working days if I am correct?”

“Yes. It’s ages away.”

“Not with over 900 items that need categorizing for the display-”  
  
Kasius inhaled as Sinara walked about his office, her high heels sinking in his plush carpet. Her voice was almost cold, but there was softness in her phrasing that warmed him like he could coax sweetness out of her.  
  
A thought flitted across his mind. “How do you take your coffee?”  
  
Sinara stopped her pacing and looked at him quizzically.  “I don’t. Now we need to be practical about how many items we can display-”  
  
“Do you take tea?” Kasius tried again and he blinked innocently when her hands clenched. “With sugar or without?”  
  
“With honey,” Sinara replied coldly. “Now about the fundraiser-“  
  
“Honey! Of course!” Kasius bowed. “If you’ll excuse me.” And he swept away, his fancy coat billowing as he left an exasperated Sinara behind.

* * *

  
  
  
A fear of being poisoned led Kasius to prepare his meals, especially his drinks and while he rarely drank tea he loved the aesthetic of it. There was an entire cabinet devoted to artisan teas and tea blends in mahogany and cedar boxes.  
  
He rifled through them, before picking out one for her, humming as he worked.

  
She definitely isn’t what she seems, Kasius thought, as he chose the best honey for her. But he would enjoy uncovering her secrets.  
  
The door quietly opened and satisfaction swelled that she followed him.  
  
“Why are you making me tea?” Irritation threaded in her voice. “That would be my job.”  
  
“To make sure you don’t kill me,” he replied cheerfully, deciding to be truthful. “Now here you go. Chamomile tea. The Terrans swore by it.”  
  
“Lot of good chamomile did them.” Sinara eyed the gold embossed teacup distastefully. “Do you have anything less ornate to drink out of?”  
  
Kasius seemed taken aback. “Why would I?”  
  
Sinara snorted but when her fingers brushed his as she accepted the cup, warmth suffused her chest that he’d prepared something for her, with his own hands.  
  
Confused by her reaction, she took a quick sip. The tea was steaming and fragrant, with a faintly medicinal taste, mellowed by the honey.  
  
“It’s refreshing,” she said, surprised, liking the slight bitterness. “Thank you.”  
  
Kasius smiled,  and Sinara felt fluttering in her stomach that she’d pleased him. She took another hasty sip.  He wasn’t as mightily built as Kree men normally were, and with his pallid complexion, she shouldn’t be attracted to him.  But there was lightness in his step, and mischief in his eyes, like they were best friends, even lovers in another life.  
  
Frowning at her fanciful thoughts, she drained her cup and when she looked up Kasius’ eyes, normally a cold blue seemed almost warm.  
  
“Send me a list of everything you need access to,” he said, softly.“I’ll have it done.”  
  
Sinara placed the empty cup down with a slight twinge of guilt at deceiving him, and without a word or backward glance, left.

* * *

 

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading! I'd love to hear from you :)
> 
> writing the Kree is so much fun!


End file.
